Explaining that the animal spirit and the particular (discursive) reason and the imagination and the fancy may be compared to buttermilk, while the spirit, which is everlasting, is hidden in this buttermilk, like the butter.

جوهر صدقت خفی شد در دروغ ** هم‌چو طعم روغن اندر طعم دوغ3030

Thy true substance is concealed in falsehood, like the taste of butter in the taste of buttermilk.

آن دروغت این تن فانی بود ** راستت آن جان ربانی بود

Thy falsehood is this perishable body; thy truth is that lordly spirit.

سالها این دوغ تن پیدا و فاش ** روغن جان اندرو فانی و لاش

(During many) years this buttermilk, (which is) the body, is visible and manifest, (while) the butter, (which is) the spirit, is perishing and naughted within it,

تا فرستد حق رسولی بنده‌ای ** دوغ را در خمره جنباننده‌ای

Till God send a messenger (prophet), a (chosen) servant, a shaker of the buttermilk in the churn,

تا بجنباند به هنجار و به فن ** تا بدانم من که پنهان بود من

That he may shake (it) with method and skill, to the end that I may know that (my true) ego was hidden;

یا کلام بنده‌ای کان جزو اوست ** در رود در گوش او کو وحی جوست3035

Or (till) the speech of a (chosen) servant, which is part is part of (the speech of) him (the prophet), enter into the ear of him who is seeking inspiration.

اذن ممن وحی ما را واعیست ** آنچنان گوشی قرین داعیست

The true believer's ear is retaining our inspiration: such an ear is closely linked to the caller (the perfect saint)—

هم‌چنانک گوش طفل از گفت مام ** پر شود ناطق شود او درکلام

Just as (for example) the infant's ear is filled with its mother's words, (and then) it (the infant) begins to speak articulately;

ور نباشد طفل را گوش رشد ** گفت مادر نشنود گنگی شود

And if the infant have not a right (rightly-hearing) ear, it does not hear its mother's words and becomes a mute.

دایما هر کر اصلی گنگ بود ** ناطق آنکس شد که از مادر شنود

Every one born deaf has always been dumb: (only) that one who heard (speech) from his mother became a speaker.

دانک گوش کر و گنگ از آفتیست ** که پذیرای دم و تعلیم نیست3040

Know that the deaf ear and the dumb man are the result of a grave disease (of the soul); for it (the deaf ear) is not capable of (hearing) words and being taught.

آنک بی‌تعلیم بد ناطق خداست ** که صفات او ز علتها جداست

The (only) one that possessed speech without being taught is God, whose attributes are separated (exempt) from infirmities,

یا چو آدم کرده تلقینش خدا ** بی‌حجاب مادر و دایه و ازا

Or one like Adam whom God instructed without the screen (mediation) of mother and nurse and necessaries,

یا مسیحی که به تعلیم ودود ** در ولادت ناطق آمد در وجود

Or the Messiah (Christ) who, through being taught by the Loving (God), at his birth came speaking into the world,

از برای دفع تهمت در ولاد ** که نزادست از زنا و از فساد

For the purpose of repelling the suspicion as to his birth (and proving) that he was not born of fornication and wickedness.

جنبشی بایست اندر اجتهاد ** تا که دوغ آن روغن از دل باز داد3045

A (great) shaking was required in the effort that the buttermilk might render back that butter from its (inmost) heart.

روغن اندر دوغ باشد چون عدم ** دوغ در هستی برآورده علم

The butter in the buttermilk is (invisible) like non-existence; the buttermilk has raised its banner (has become manifest) in existence.

آنک هستت می‌نماید هست پوست ** وآنک فانی می‌نماید اصل اوست

That which seems to you to be (really) existent is (mere) skin, while that which seems to have perished—that (in reality) is the root.

دوغ روغن ناگرفتست و کهن ** تا بنگزینی بنه خرجش مکن

The buttermilk has not (yet) taken (the form of) butter and is old: lay it (in store) and do not squander it till you pick out (the butter from it).

هین بگردانش به دانش دست دست ** تا نماید آنچ پنهان کرده است

Hark, turn it knowingly from hand to hand (side to side), that it may reveal that which it has hidden;

زآنک این فانی دلیل باقیست ** لابه‌ی مستان دلیل ساقیست3050

For this perishable (body) is a proof of the everlasting (spirit): the maundering of the intoxicated is a proof of (the existence of) the Cupbearer.

مثال دیگر هم درین معنی

Another parable on the same subject.

هست بازیهای آن شیر علم ** مخبری از بادهای مکتتم

The gambols of the lion on the banner are indicative of winds concealed (from view).

گر نبودی جنبش آن بادها ** شیر مرده کی بجستی در هوا

If there were not the movement of those winds, how would the dead lion leap into the air?

زان شناسی باد را گر آن صباست ** یا دبورست این بیان آن خفاست

By that (means) you know whether the wind is the east-wind or the westwind: this (movement of the lion) is the explanation of that occult matter.

این بدن مانند آن شیر علم ** فکر می‌جنباند او را دم به دم

This body is like the lion on the banner: thought is causing it to move continually.

فکر کان از مشرق آید آن صباست ** وآنک از مغرب دبور با وباست3055

The thought that comes from the east is (as) the (refreshing) east-wind, and that which (comes) from the west is (as) the west-wind fraught with pestilence.

مشرق این باد فکرت دیگرست ** مغرب این باد فکرت زان سرست

The east of this wind of thought is different; the west of this wind of thought is from Yonder side.

مه جمادست و بود شرقش جماد ** جان جان جان بود شرق فاد

The moon is inanimate, and its east is inanimate: the heart's east is the soul of the soul of Soul.

شرق خورشیدی که شد باطن‌فروز ** قشر و عکس آن بود خورشید روز

The east of that Sun which illumines the inward part—the sun of day is (only) the husk and reflexion thereof;

زآنک چون مرده بود تن بی‌لهب ** پیش او نه روز بنماید نه شب

For when the body is dead (and) without the (vital) flame, neither day nor night appears to it;

ور نباشد آن چو این باشد تمام ** بی‌شب و بی روز دارد انتظام3060

But though it (the flame) be not (there), (yet) since this (spiritual Sun) is (essentially) in perfect, it (the Sun) maintains itself intact without night and day,

هم‌چنانک چشم می‌بیند به خواب ** بی‌مه و خورشید ماه و آفتاب

Just as the eye, without moon and sun, sees moon and sun in dream.

نوم ما چون شد اخ الموت ای فلان ** زین برادر آن برادر را بدان

Since our sleep is the brother of death, O such and such, know (the difference of) that brother from this brother.

ور بگویندت که هست آن فرع این ** مشنو آن را ای مقلد بی‌یقین

And if they tell thee that that is the branch (derivative) of this, do not hear (believe) it, O follower of authority, without (having) certain knowledge.

می‌بیند خواب جانت وصف حال ** که به بیداری نبینی بیست سال

During sleep thy spirit is beholding the representation of a state (of things) which thou wilt not behold, whilst thou art awake, in twenty years,

در پی تعبیر آن تو عمرها ** می‌دوی سوی شهان با دها3065

And thou art running, for (whole) lifetimes, to the sagacious (spiritual) kings in quest of the interpretation thereof,

که بگو آن خواب را تعبیر چیست ** فرع گفتن این چنین سر را سگیست

Saying, “Tell (me), what is the interpretation of that dream?” To call such a mystery a “branch” is currishness.

خواب عامست این و خود خواب خواص ** باشد اصل اجتبا و اختصاص

This is the sleep of the vulgar; but truly the sleep of the elect is the root of (their) privilege and election.

پیل باید تا چو خسپد او ستان ** خواب بیند خطه‌ی هندوستان

There must needs be the elephant, in order that, when he sleeps supinely, he may dream of the land of Hindustán.

خر نبیند هیچ هندستان به خواب ** خر ز هندستان نکردست اغتراب

The ass does not dream of Hindustán at all: the ass has never journeyed from Hindustán to a foreign country.

جان هم‌چون پیل باید نیک زفت ** تا به خواب او هند داند رفت تفت3070

There is need of the elephant-like and very robust spirit, that in sleep it may be able to go speedily to Hindustán.

ذکر هندستان کند پیل از طلب ** پس مصور گردد آن ذکرش به شب

Because of desire the elephant remembers Hindustán; then by night that remembrance of his takes form.

اذکروا الله کار هر اوباش نیست ** ارجعی بر پای هر قلاش نیست

(The worship commanded in the text) Remember ye Allah is not a (devotional) work (that is within the reach) of every rascal; (the command) Return thou is not (a fetter) on the foot of every reprobate.

لیک تو آیس مشو هم پیل باش ** ور نه پیلی در پی تبدیل باش

But still do not thou despair, be an elephant; and if thou art not an elephant, be in quest of transmutation.

کیمیاسازان گردون را ببین ** بشنو از میناگران هر دم طنین

Behold the alchemists of Heaven; hear at every moment the sound (of the words that come) from the (spiritual) makers of the philosophers' stone.

نقش‌بندانند در جو فلک ** کارسازانند بهر لی و لک3075

They are designers in the celestial atmosphere; they are workers for me and thee.

گر نبینی خلق مشکین جیب را ** بنگر ای شب‌کور این آسیب را

If thou dost not see the musky-bosomed people, behold this touch (laid upon thee), O night-blind (purblind) one.

هر دم آسیبست بر ادراک تو ** نبت نو نو رسته بین از خاک تو

At every moment the touch is (laid) upon thy apprehension: behold the plants ever springing up anew from thy earth!

زین بد ابراهیم ادهم دیده خواب ** بسط هندستان دل را بی‌حجاب

Of this (sort) was Ibráhím son of Adham, who beheld in sleep, without veil, the unfolding of the spiritual Hindustán.